Malaria Prevalence among Young Infants in Different Transmission Settings, Africa

• Main Authors: Serign J. Ceesay, Lamine Koivogui, Alain Nahum, Makie Abdoulie Taal, Joseph Okebe, Muna Affara, Lama Eugène Kaman, Francis Bohissou, Carine Agbowai, Benoit Gniouma Tolno, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, NFaly Bangoura, Daniel Ahounou, Abdul Khalie Muhammad, Stephan Duparc, Kamal Hamed, David Ubben, Kalifa Bojang, Jane Achan, Umberto D’Alessandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2015-07-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Malaria; young infants; transmission intensity; Africa; transmission settings; epidemiology
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/7/14-2036_article

The prevalence and consequences of malaria among infants are not well characterized and may be underestimated. A better understanding of the risk for malaria in early infancy is critical for drug development and informed decision making. In a cross-sectional survey in Guinea, The Gambia, and Benin, countries with different malaria transmission intensities, the overall prevalence of malaria among infants <6 months of age was 11.8% (Guinea, 21.7%; The Gambia, 3.7%; and Benin, 10.2%). Seroprevalence ranged from 5.7% in The Gambia to 41.6% in Guinea. Mean parasite densities in infants were significantly lower than those in children 1–9 years of age in The Gambia (p<0.0001) and Benin (p = 0.0021). Malaria in infants was significantly associated with fever or recent history of fever (p = 0.007) and anemia (p = 0.001). Targeted preventive interventions, adequate drug formulations, and treatment guidelines are needed to address the sizeable prevalence of malaria among young infants in malaria-endemic countries.